Economist Podcasts

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Latest Episodes:

After the flood: Nepal’s ongoing rescue Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

After the devastating flash flood last week, our correspondent explains why the country is so ill-equipped to deal with the crisis. Does AI stop children from learning? And why Japanese ongaku kissa, or listening bars, are so popular abroad.

Guests and host:

Kira Hiju, Asia correspondent
Michelle Hennessy, graphic detail editor
Aaron Coultate, head of newsletters
Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

Nepal, flood, climate change, glacier, hydropower
AI, education, exams
Japan, listening bars, ongaku kissa

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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Stars in their AIs: tech is changing Hollywood Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Behind the scenes, Artificial Intelligence is playing a growing role in every aspect of film-making, from script-writing and production-planning to shot-generation and editing. As the number of people covered by Obamacare falls, our correspondent ponders the future of the healthcare programme. And the secret thrill of American country dancing in France.

Guests and host:

Henry Tricks, US technology editor
Stevie Hertz, US public policy correspondent
Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief
Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

Hollywood, filmmaking, AI
Obamacare, healthcare, health insurance
France, country music, line-dancing

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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Bots on the ground: China leads humanoid race Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

Our correspondent goes inside a Chinese robot facility to see thousands of droids being taught to complete useful tasks. Is it worth the time and money? How Meta’s $17bn settlement at its blockbuster trial could change teen social-media use. And 75 years of the Paris bookshop Shakespeare and Company.

Watch extended clips from Insider here, plus the full Elon Musk interview

Guests and host:

Don Weinland, China business editor
Alice Fulwood, “Money Talks” host and US business editor
Alexandra Suich-Bass, culture editor
Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

Robots, humanoids, China, AI
Meta, Instagram, Facebook, social media, addiction,
Shakespeare and Company, Paris, bookshops

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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Big shot: does a cancer vaccine work? Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

Personalised vaccines could offer a breakthrough in the fight against cancer. Our correspondent analyses the latest trial. Canada’s oil market is flourishing, despite the trade war. And, why we will always love Dolly Parton.

Guests and host:

Natasha Loder, health editor
Sarah Lawrynuik, deputy editor of “The Intelligence”
Jon Fasman, senior culture correspondent
Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

Cancer, immunotherapy, vaccines, mRNA
Oil, Canada, trade war, tariffs
Dolly Parton, country music

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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Slip the surly bonds? Scott Bessent goes on a yield trip Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

Amid record-tickling yields, the bond markets are now trying to make sense of what Scott Bessent, America’s Treasury secretary, has announced—a move that might put him on a collision course with the Federal Reserve. We ask why it is so easy for hackers to infiltrate America’s water infrastructure. And understanding a political lineage through the new British prime minister’s accent.

Guests and host:

Joshua Roberts, capital markets correspondent
Shashank Joshi, Washington bureau chief
Lane Greene, language correspondent
Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

bond markets, Treasury, yields, Scott Bessent
America, cyber-attacks, water, critical infrastructure
British politics, Andy Burnham, accents, class angst

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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Even-more-maximum pressure: sanctions on Iran Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

After much hullabaloo America announced its “Operation Economic Outcast”, a new tranche of sanctions. It is thin gruel, and might in fact invite military reprisals from Iran. Call centres form a large part of the economy of the Philippines; surprisingly, AI is not stopping the industry’s rise. And a data-led look at which cities offer the best (relative) paycheques.

Guests and host:

Fraser McIlwraith, foreign correspondent
Joshua Spencer, Asia news editor
Vishnu Padmanabhan, Asia correspondent
Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

Iran war, sanctions
AI, offshoring, the Philippines
world cities, pay, economic migration

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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Elbows up, again: a US-Canada trade flare-up Aug 24, 2026

Show notes

Promising trade talks imploded after a literal 11th-hour change from the American side. We examine the new trade barriers being erected, and the complex calculation for Prime Minister Mark Carney. In Japan Gen X workers are even still bearing the costs of an economic bubble-burst from the 1990s. And how fates of civilisations have turned on sieges throughout history.

Guests and host:

Hal Hodson, Americas editor
Moeka Iida, East Asia reporter
Richard Cockett, senior digital editor
Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

Canada, the United States, tariffs, Mark Carney, trade war
Japan, Gen X, labour market
sieges, world history

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

Correction (August 26th): We originally published a version of this podcast stated that Japan's bubble era spanned the 1970s and 1980s. It was only the 1980s. Apologies for the error.

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I, robot? AI and consciousness Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

The rise of generative AI has put new urgency into ancient questions. What is consciousness, and can machines ever have it? We dive into the data that reveal a surge in sexually transmitted infections in Europe. And our obituaries editor considers the life of Mary de Rachewiltz, translator and tireless defender of her father, Ezra Pound.

Watch extended clips from Insider here.

Guests and host:

Alok Jha, science & technology editor
Stephen Hurford, newsdesk writer
Ann Wroe, obituaries editor
Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”
Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”

Topics covered:

AI, consciousness
sexual health, STIs, STDs, Europe
Mary de Rachewiltz, Ezra Pound

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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An interview with Yuval Noah Harari Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Yuval Noah Harari is a big-ideas guy. Known for penning tomes that tackle broad sweeps of history, the historian-cum-philosopher has now turned his attention to AI. He joins Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, for The Insider, our video show for premium subscribers. They discuss why Mr Harari believes AIs will come to control civilisation—and what it might mean to be human in that world.

Watch the full show—and sign up to the Insider newsletter.

Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—subscribe to The Economist.

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Bombs and bombshells: Zelensky under pressure Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

From anti-corruption probes to a disgruntled ex-minister calling for elections to disrupted grain shipments, headaches are mounting for Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. China has until now coped with a patchy, pricey system for mental-health treatment. The government is now getting serious about plugging the gaps. And why a debate over “Paw Patrol” is more than just culture-war madness.

Guests and host: